#lovefresh

LaRitzy Box Review!! February 2016

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Rating: ★★★★ Loved it and bought it since • ★★★ Good stuff • ★★ Not for me • ★ Hated it

I’m quicker with the February review than the last few. I opened it and dove right into using all of the products. Three of the brands are completely new-to-me. There’s a deodorant, two facial care items, and a hair mask.

Let’s get into it!

Palmetto Derma—…

My quest to find a natural deodorant that doesn’t make me stink has been quite the journey. I’d say I started wearing natural deodorant about 10 years ago. I finally linked the breakouts under my arms to the perfumes in the deodorants I was using. At first I thought switching to the unscented deodorants would clear the problem up, but that didn’t seem to do much. So I made the switch from my Dove deodorant for a more natural option. I’ve probably tried every natural deodorant out there. From crystals to creams, powder to sprays, from gels to even homemade creations - I’ve tried them all. Many times, I truly thought I was doing a good thing for myself by purchasing a “natural” deodorant, but quickly found out that not all so-called natural skin products are really natural. While the task of finding a safe, effective deodorant is frustrating, it is not impossible. After almost a decade, I’ve found the best and last natural deodorant I’ll ever have to buy and I am excited to share this gem with you. 

But first, understanding the difference between the standard antiperspirant or deodorant and the natural deodorants will help you decide if it’s worth making the switch. After all, if your antiperspirant or deodorant is working for you than why switch?

Antiperspirant -vs- Deodorant

To prevent sweating, antiperspirants work by blocking your pores with aluminium compounds, which stop the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface. This interferes with the body’s ability to regulate it’s temperature and eliminate toxins, two very important bodily functions. Sweating is a good thing you see, the culprit of body odour isn’t sweat. In fact, perspiration is odourless. It’s when sweat mixes with airborne bacteria that we become stinky. 

Deodorants, on the other hand, neutralize body odour while also killing odour causing bacteria. Ingredients within deodorants are essentially designed to eliminate or mask the smell caused by the bacteria. Since they do not interfere with the body’s natural processes, deodorants are the better choice.

Aluminium-based Deodorant -vs- Natural Deodorant

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about aluminum-based antiperspirants and deodorants and their links to cancer and Alzheimer’s.  Some say it causes these diseases and some say it doesn’t. My general philosophy is to keep the food I eat and the products I use as close to their natural state as possible. 

My general philosophy is to keep the food I eat and the products I use as close to their natural state as possible.

Below are some common ingredients found in the standard aluminum-based antiperspirants and deodorants. You can decide if it sounds and feels right to you to continue using your commercial antiperspirant or deodorant or to make the switch to a more natural product. 

Aluminum - As mention above, aluminum is often found in antiperspirants because it blocks your sweat ducts. While aluminum has not yet been classified as a carcinogen, several researchers have suggested a link between antiperspirants and Alzheimer’s and cancer, specifically breast cancer. Some research suggests that aluminum-based compounds, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and cause estrogen-like (hormonal) effects (1). Because estrogen has the ability to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may contribute to the development of breast cancer (1). Long term and increasing use remain unknown, and evidence still remains inconclusive at this time. 

Parabens - Parabens are preservatives used in products like cosmetics, soap, shampoo and conditioner, lotion, shaving cream, cough syrups, deodorants and antiperspirants. There is a lot of information out there focused on parabens and their relationship with breast cancer because they are believed to build up in breast tissue and have been shown to mimic the activity of estrogen in the body’s cells (2). 

When reading labels, parabens are usually easy to identify by name - such as methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, or benzylparaben.

The belief that parabens build up in breast tissue was supported by a 2004 study, which found parabens in 18 of 20 samples of tissue from human breast tumors (3). However, this study did not prove that parabens cause breast tumors (4). The authors of this study did not analyze healthy breast tissue or tissues from other areas of the body and did not demonstrate that parabens are found only in cancerous breast tissue (5). Furthermore, this research did not identify the source of the parabens and cannot establish that the buildup of parabens is due to the use of deodorants or antiperspirants.

More research is needed to specifically examine whether the use of deodorants or antiperspirants can cause the buildup of parabens and aluminum-based compounds in breast tissue. 

Phthalates - Phthalates contain allergenic ingredients that cause sensitive-skin people like myself, a whole lot of itchy, uncomfortable problems. Phthalates are linked to reproductive disorders in both male and females, and can be hidden under the unregulated term, fragrance. 

Triclosan - This is used as a bactericide and found in cosmetics, deodorants and antibacterial soaps. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Triclosan disrupts our hormones, affecting our thyroid and reproductive glands.

Propylene Glycol - Propylene Glycol is a synthetic (petroleum-based) liquid that retains water and is often added to deodorant and antiperspirant to make it easier to apply and extend shelf life. The FDA has deemed it safe at the level people consume it (it’s a common food additive), but other findings indicate that it’s a skin irritant and potential neurotoxin. 

There are a few others to learn about like Benzyl Alcohol, BHT, DEA & TEA and artificial colours which are lurking in deodorants too. 

LoveFresh Natural Cream Deodorant in Moroccan Rose Absolute

Look no further, the BEST natural deodorant EVER is here!

Finding a safe, all natural deodorant that actually works can be quite frustrating. Seemingly natural products sometimes turn out to be not so natural at all - so reading the ingredient label is important. But labels can be frustrating too! Errr! Enter LoveFresh,  a Toronto-based natural skincare company who makes lotions, washes, scrubs and in my option, the best natural deodorant on the market.  Their ingredients are simple, clean and recognizable: shea butter, coconut oil, arrowroot flour, (non-aluminum) baking soda, kaolin clay, emulsifying wax and essential oil. 

This stuff really gets ‘er done, smells amazing and is safe and gentle for my  delicate underarm skin. The scents are derived from essential oils so there’s no synthetic perfumes or fragrances used. The arrowroot powder and baking soda are effective at neutralizing odors and keeping your underarms dry. Lastly, the shea butter and coconut oil keep my skin soft and smooth. 

Even on a busy work day after teaching six classes, my typically stinky right armpit is still smelling fresh! I don’t have to re-apply and it only takes a pea-size amount under each armpit, making it not only effective but also economical. 

Whether I’m using the stick or the pot, LoveFresh’s deodorant lasts for months. My current stick has stuck around for nearly 6 months and is still going strong! 

I love all the scents, but my favourite is Lavender Tea Tree.

If you buy the pot, applying the cream is quite easy! Always make sure your underarms are clean and dry before applying. Take a pea-sized amount and place it under your arms and allow it to soften with your body heat. Once it’s softened, use your fingers to spread it around.

LoveFresh now makes stick deodorants in case rubbing cream on your pits is weird. LoveFresh also makes deodorant without baking soda as some people are sensitive. To make sure you don’t having stinky pits, they’ve replaced the baking soda with magnesium hydroxide which works to kill odour. 

Even if you aren’t daunted by the ingredients in your own deodorant, wouldn’t you feel better knowing you weren’t putting something on your body that could potentially put your health at risk? If you do make the switch, let me know the outcome!

Melissa

References

1. Darbre PD. Aluminium, antiperspirants and breast cancer. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 2005; 99(9):1912–1919. (PubMed Abstract)

2. Harvey PW, Everett DJ. Significance of the detection of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens) in human breast tumours. Journal of Applied Toxicology 2004; 24(1):1–4. (PubMed Abstract)

3. Darbre PD, Aljarrah A, Miller WR, et al. Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours. Journal of Applied Toxicology 2004; 24(1):5–13. (PubMed Abstract)

4. Harvey PW, Everett DJ. Significance of the detection of esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (parabens) in human breast tumours. Journal of Applied Toxicology 2004; 24(1):1–4. (PubMed Abstract)

The Holy Grail. The One Ring to Rule Them All. The Lost City of Shangri-La. There are all these mythical places and objects we've been searching for since humans figured out that we yearn for things...more often than not, things we cannot have, no matter how hard we try.

I thought, for actual years, that I would never have dry armpits. It seems like something so trivial and simple, but when you've sweat through every shirt you own and bring cardigans to work when it's 100 degrees out so you can cover up your giant pit stains in that kind of important client meeting you have that afternoon, it can be more than a little annoying.

One of the most vivid memories of my adolescence is sitting in World History sophomore year of high school, right when school started in August. The air conditioner was running full blast in this particular classroom and I was blessed enough to be seated directly in front of it. It felt amazing until I felt cold under my arms and realized my armpits had soaked completely through my shirt.

I felt disgusting and unloveable and gross and freakish and I wanted to disappear right then and there. I turned into one of those "unsure" people from the TV commercials, never raising my hand all the way, making sure to stand in the second row in photos, keeping cardigans and hoodies on hand at all times. Secret came out with their clinical formula at about this time and it helped mitigate the situation somewhat, but never to a point where I completely stopped worrying about it. I avoided wearing white shirts and light colors in general whenever possible. Because as soon as I got comfortable, the pits would come back in all their dark, damp glory.

I've always been sweaty in general, but recently it has gotten bad again, so much so that I've seriously contemplated getting armpit Botox to hopefully kill the sweat altogether. I've switched between brands and types (gel, cream, solid) over the years and gave a natural deodorant a brief run on my first major Paleo push. It failed miserably, both at keeping me even remotely dry or even really preventing the stinkwaves from radiating.

So when I got this dense little tub of natural deodorant in my August Goodebox, I couldn't help but be dubious at best, and outright disdainful, if we're being totally honest. Fuck a bunch of “natural,” I thought. Prescription-strength cancer deodorant won't even work on my renegade pits so why bother? But I had to try, right? That's whole point of getting these stupid boxes is to maybe discover something that might actually work for once, something you might never have considered in the past.

Like most beauty box products I'm slightly wary of, I tried it on a weekend. I wore mostly sleeveless shirts and I didn't work out. Usually at the end of the day with regular antiperspirant, even clinical-strength, there would be a lovely little bottom note of body odor overtaking the deodorant fragrance. But even with this unscented new product, no such smells arose. I felt emboldened and wore it to work on a Monday with a loose sleeved top. No odor. I wore it the next day, and the next, and the next, with no discernible stink and very little wetness. If anything, there was some slight dampness that dissipated quickly.

The most astonishing part of this tentative trial period is that I didn't sweat through any of my clothes–not my nice office clothes, not my casual tees. My workout clothes got a little sweaty in the armpit regions, but not soaked, and still not all that stinky. I made my husband sniff my armpit one evening to see if I was crazy and losing my sense of smell altogether. He gave me a weird look but even looked surprised himself when he said, nope, no BO.

So with all this backstory and personal perspiration angst in mind, I'm kind of astonished to now be a daily user of this natural, fragrance-free deodorant from LoveFresh. It only has six ingredients: Fair Trade Shea Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Arrowroot Flour, Kaolin Clay, Aluminum-Free Baking Soda, and an Emulsifying Wax. The most incredible part, for me anyway, is that not only does it completely prevent any odor, but that it somehow manages to reduce wetness as well. I'll get damp, sure, but I have no soaked through a single shirt since I started using this product. I tempted fate with a white button down the other day and while I still had some moisture, there were no damp spots or stains.

And that's kind of a fucking miracle to me. That something so simple, with such basic natural ingredients, could be that effective on what I thought I was a lost cause. Like, I'm trying not to get emotional over fucking deodorant, but I can't help it. The product itself has a slightly gritty, creamy feel to it that massages in nicely, absorbs quickly and moisturizes really well–I've had very few instances of irritation or ingrown hairs since I started using this. It doesn't take long to absorb, and obviously, no white marks on clothes anymore.

Literally the one thing that could improve this product would be some sort fragrance. Because it doesn't smell bad, per se, but it does have that sort of earthy smell that a lot of unscented natural products tend to have. There's a Moroccan Rose Absolute scent I'm going to have to try once this pot runs out, because that will go amazingly with all the LUSH rose-scented products I splurge on in the cooler months.

I try not to associate too much of my self-worth on superficial things like beauty products, but when you find something that resolves an issue that’s bothered you about yourself for actual decades, something that suddenly relieves one of your most persistent and deeply-rooted anxieties, you can't help but realize the power of self-care, of treating yourself and your skin and your body like it matters and has value, allowing it to breathe and removing some of the harsh ingredients and negative feelings you have towards it. It's a small liberation, a victory, to be able to move on with your life and focus on bigger and important things than how badly you might smell and how gross your uncontrollable glandular functions might appear to others.

So I can unequivocally state that I am officially a natural deodorant convert thanks to LoveFresh. They have a stick available, too, but it’s $24 for 3.6oz while you can get a full-size 4oz pot for $25, which is what I will be purchasing once this tub starts to run low. 

This is hands-down one of the best products I've received in any beauty box ever, and mad love to Goodebox for introducing me to it. It's a relief and it came at a time when I was in dire need of a product that actually works for once. No more chemicals and thoughts of numbing toxins under my arms, just natural goodness, and less terrifying levels of stink and sweat on me.

Final Rating: 

monday.must: LoveFresh Water Lily Lotion

Do you ever smell something soooo divine, you just melt immediately? That was my experience with LOVEFRESH Water Lily hand and body lotion – this week’s monday.must. 

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LOVEFRESH

As someone who has been striving to live a healthier life from the inside out, I have never taken into consideration what products I’m using on my skin. I always thought that eating right, staying hydrated and exercising regularly were the keys to a healthy life –but healthy also means taking into consideration what products go on the surface of your skin. 

Thanks to my little friend, Instagram I kept seeing this all-natural company’s name pop up on my feed, LOVEFRESH. So naturally, I did a bit of research. My findings led me to discover that not only is LOVEFRESH a Canadian company, but its roots stem from a “kitchen experiment” gone totally right. Creator Stacey Davis’ aim was to create something that gave a feeling of glowing skin –naturally. After perfecting her formulas, she released her ‘easy luxury’ line offering products from deodorants to body scrubs and everything in between.